What happened
On 10 November 2010, a Cyclone AX2000, registration G-BYJM, was conducting a General Skills Test at Caunton Airfield in Nottinghamshire. The flight involved an examiner acting as pilot-in-command and a student pilot in the left seat. Following a successful takeoff from the grass runway, the examiner initiated a simulated engine failure after takeoff (EFATO) at an altitude of approximately 100 feet.
Upon the command, the student pilot abruptly reduced the throttle but failed to pitch the nose of the aircraft downward. As the aircraft began to decelerate, the examiner intervened to take control and applied full power. However, the intervention occurred too late to avoid a heavy touchdown, which resulted in the collapse of the landing gear. There were no injuries to the two crew members on board.
The investigation
The AAIB examined the circumstances of the flight and the maneuvers performed. The investigation noted that the student had previously practiced the EFATO maneuver on a longer runway. The examiner noted that while he intended to provide the student with full control, the single-stick configuration of the aircraft made it difficult to cover the controls in the event of an error. The student also observed that the aircraft's high thrust-line configuration contributed to a tendency for the nose to pitch up when power was reduced.
Findings
- The student pilot did not sufficiently lower the aircraft nose following the rapid reduction of throttle.
- The examiner's attempt to recover the aircraft by applying full power was not timely enough to prevent the high-impact landing.
- The aircraft's engine placement created a high thrust-line, which influenced the pitch characteristics during power changes.